Petillant-Naturel is definitely trending in the wine industry. Although this style of wine actually has a long history, (dating back to the 16th century!) we are just now starting to see it get the recognition and love it deserves. In case you are new to these delicious, fizzy wines, we wanted to give you the run down. Here are a few steps to understanding and enjoying this style. Cheers!

1. Pet-Nat is short for Pétillant-Naturel which literally means "naturally sparkling".

2. This style is made in the "ancestral method", meaning the initial fermentation finishes in the bottle without any additives, imparting a gentle carbonation.

3. These wines are all natural! It goes straight from tank to bottle, and is bottled with the dead yeast cells intact, creating its signature cloudiness.

4. It's a happy accident with roots back to 1531. Winemakers like Chaussard in the Loire Valley experimented with organic viticulture and minimum intervention in the early 1990s and this style emerged on accident, but soon became an intentional approach.

5. It's quintessentially a fun food wine to share with friends! We love these with cheese + charcuterie of all kinds. But they are also a great pairing for Mexican food, especially tacos!

6. They can be made from many different varieties and regions. Some of our favorites in the U.S. are Onward Malvasia Bianca from Suisun Valley and the Los Pilares Muscat from San Diego!

Interested in trying our favorite PetNat wines or learning more about this style? We curate custom selections based on your needs and deliver them to your location. Start enjoying by contacting wine@domainesomm.com.

Join us as we explore the world of food and wine through the lens of sommeliers. There are always fun and unique and wine pairings to explore within each cuisine, so we asked our Wine Advisors to let us in on their favorite pairings, dishes, and styles for each cuisine. Our second edition is Japanese!

what is your favorite wine pairing with Japanese cuisine?

AMANDA: Shoyu Ramen and Forlorn Hope "Ost Intrigen" St. Laurent - The ramen has such a heavy savory, salty, mushroom broth but then a light sweetness from the bamboo shoots and noodles- it craves something with a little ripeness but with that same earthy complexity. The St. Laurent is a little lighter in body like a pinot but without all that bing cherry - it’s such a fun wine to pair with complicated dishes like this.

what is your favorite style of Japanese restaurant?

TAMARA: Hagi, a sake bar in a basement just off of Times Square. They're open late and serve a variety of Japanese street fare, including fried octopus balls, ramen, and hamachi collar. Along with plenty of sake and Japanese beer, of course.

what is your go-to wine brand or style for Japanese food?

AMANDA: That’s an impossible question to answer - Japanese cuisine is SO varied and complex. You have everything from Sushi to Yakitori to Ramen - and every intensity from sweet to spicy. I couldn’t possibly pick one, I don’t even think Champagne would work across the board in this case, too much acid, not enough base a lot of times. Maybe a still Rose or Vin Clair - the Brick and Mortar Vin Clair is surprisingly versatile in situations like this, it has the unique ability to ebb and flow according to the needs of a dish, pretty amazing stuff.

TAMARA: Dry rieslings from Clare Valley, Australia, like Grosset Wines, are absolutely perfect with Japanese cuisine I tend to order most often - usually sushi.

2014 Dirty & Rowdy Familiar Mourvedre

WINE: Dirty & Rowdy is the natural wine project of Hardy Wallace (the “Dirty”) and friend Matt Richardson, (the “Rowdy”). They have been making single vineyard wines from the French grapes Mourvèdre, Semillon and Petit Sirah from unique vineyards sites throughout California.

PAIRING: This Mourvèdre is unlike most French versions such as Bandol, which often takes 20-30 years of ageing before it can be thoroughly enjoyed. This is a much lighter, food friendly style. On the nose you’ll find tones of bark, blood orange, raspberry, and root vegetables. On the palate; strawberry, granite, and cinnamon. Hardy Wallace himself will always tell you to pair this wine with fried chicken.

TAKEAWAY: Dirty and Rowdy is one of the hardest wines to get your hands on. They have one of the most become sought–after producers of the natural wine movement.

2013 Hourglass HGIII Red Wine

WINE: Hourglass Vineyard has become one of the baby cult wineries of Napa Valley today and their wines are extremely refined and sought after. This wine is made of a few high quality lots that simply do not fit the final blends of their single varietal wines.

PLACE: The estate is located in Calistoga at the most narrow stretch of Napa Valley, hence the name. A very dry, warm vintage, 2013's abnormally cool nights (a must for great vintages) allowed for development of phenolic compounds at levels winemaker, Tony Biagi, hasn't seen in his 20 years of winemaking. "By the end of harvest, I was convinced this was the best vintage I’d ever experienced," he says. "The cool nights preserved acidity and freshness, balanced by deep extraction of rich flavors - the best of both worlds.”

PAIRING: The age-old process of "hermitaging" in which Syrah (or, in this case, Petite Sirah) was added to the Grand Vins was employed which resulted in a deep, approachable, multi-layered wine with the lush and seductive mouthfeel of Merlot, structural framework of Cabernet Sauvignon, and depth and finish of Petite Sirah. The notes of rosemary, violets and plum in this wine will be a great pair for meats. Fancy up your next burger with this wine or enjoy with a nice cut of steak.

TAKEAWAY: This wine offers a ton of depth, flavor, and structure, which can be enjoyed immediately after pulling the cork, but it also has the capacity to age for 5-7 years.

2013 Onward Malvasia Petillant Naturel

WINE: Faith Armstrong is the winemaker and owner of Onward wines. The gorgeous label was designed by her mother to represents her childhood in British Colombia, where their main vessel of transportation was by boat. Petillant Naturel is a natural, slight sparkling wine made by the initial fermentation taking place inside the bottle once, unlike champagne which goes through two fermentations and a disgorgement of sediment and yeast.

PLACE: From Suisun Valley this up and coming region in Solano Country California, has proven a great spot for not only produce but wine as well. Suisun is an Indian word meaning West Wind; the San Francisco bay plays an important roll in keeping these vineyards cool.

PAIRING: The Onward Pet Nat offers a lovely effervescence with a punch of ginger zest and floral notes on the palate. It is perfect as an aperitif however it can work really well with exotic spices.

TAKEAWAY: As Pet Nat is never disgorged it provides a unique body and texture that make it a great companion to unique foods. It’s a great wine to introduce to beer lovers as well!

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